Information processing method, computer program, and information processing device

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing method, a computer program, and an information processing device that can be expected to support changing sensor settings for a measurement device equipped with one or a plurality of sensors.　In an information processing method according to the present embodiment, an information processing device comprising a communication unit that communicates with a measurement device equipped with one or a plurality of sensors determines whether or not a trigger related to a substrate processing device, which is a measurement target of the measurement device, has occurred, and if the trigger has occurred, changes settings of the sensors of the measurement device to settings corresponding to the trigger via communication by the communication unit.

Description

Information processing method, computer program and information processing apparatus

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing method, a computer program and an information processing apparatus.

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes a measurement method that removes noise in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and accurately predicts physical characteristics in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. This measurement method includes: a step of acquiring, as reference data, first measurement data having a resonance frequency in a chamber based on an electric signal transmitted into the chamber in a state where a jig capable of wireless communication is not placed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; a step of acquiring, in a state where the jig is placed in the chamber, second measurement data having a resonance frequency detected by a sensor mounted on the jig and a resonance frequency in the chamber based on an electric signal transmitted into the chamber; and a step of subtracting the reference data from the acquired second measurement data to remove noise.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-136289

[0004] The present disclosure provides an information processing method, a computer program and an information processing apparatus that can be expected to support sensor setting changes for a measurement apparatus equipped with one or more sensors.

[0005] An information processing method according to an embodiment is such that an information processing apparatus including a communication unit that communicates with a measurement apparatus equipped with one or more sensors determines whether a trigger related to a substrate processing apparatus to be measured by the measurement apparatus has occurred, and when the trigger has occurred, changes the setting of the sensor of the measurement apparatus to a setting corresponding to the trigger via communication by the communication unit.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it can be expected to support sensor setting changes for a measurement apparatus equipped with one or more sensors.

[0007] This is a schematic plan view showing one example configuration of a substrate processing apparatus to be measured by the information processing system according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram for explaining the overview of the information processing system according to this embodiment. This is a block diagram showing one example configuration of a controller according to this embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing one example of the sensor setting screen of a wafer-type measuring apparatus. This is a schematic diagram showing one example of the sensor setting screen of a wafer-type measuring apparatus. This is a block diagram showing one example configuration of a wafer-type measuring apparatus according to this embodiment. This is a flowchart showing one example of the processing procedure performed by the controller according to this embodiment. This is a flowchart showing one example of the processing procedure performed by the wafer-type measuring apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0008] Specific examples of information processing systems according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to these examples, and all changes are intended to be made within the meaning and scope of the claims as indicated by the claims.

[0009] <System Overview> Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing one example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus to be measured in the information processing system according to this embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 3 in this example has a cassette station 202 in which a cassette C containing a plurality of wafers (substrates) W is loaded and unloaded, and a processing station 203 equipped with a plurality of various processing devices that perform predetermined processing on the wafers W. The substrate processing apparatus 3 is configured by integrally connecting the cassette station 202, the processing station 203, and an interface station 204 that transfers wafers W between the processing station 203 and an adjacent exposure apparatus (not shown) on the opposite side of the processing station 203. Although two processing stations 203 are installed between the cassette station 202 and the interface station 204 as shown in Figure 1, only one or three or more processing stations may be installed.

[0010] The cassette station 202 is equipped with multiple cassette trays 221, wafer transport devices 222 and 223, and a transfer device 224. In the cassette station 202, wafers are transported between the cassette C placed on the cassette tray 221 and the transfer device 224 by the wafer transport devices 222 and 223. The transfer device 224 is a tower-shaped device with multiple storage spaces for accommodating wafers formed in multiple levels vertically.

[0011] The processing station 203 includes, for example, a first block 231 and a second block 232 flanking the wafer transport area 235. In the illustrated substrate processing apparatus 3, two processing stations 203 are connected, and a transfer device 233 is provided between the two processing stations 203.

[0012] The first block 231 contains a plurality of liquid processing devices, such as a patterning film forming device or a developing device (both not shown). The patterning film forming device includes, for example, a resist film forming device or an anti-reflective film forming device. These patterning film forming devices or developing devices perform, for example, supplying a predetermined processing liquid or supplying a predetermined gas onto the wafer W. In this way, the patterning film forming device forms a resist film to be used as a mask when forming the pattern of the lower layer film, or forms an anti-reflective film or the like to efficiently perform a light irradiation process, such as an exposure process. The developing device removes a portion of the exposed resist film to form the uneven shape that serves as the mask.

[0013] The second block 232 is provided with a heat treatment unit for performing heat treatment such as heating or cooling of the wafer W. The second block 232 is also provided with a hydrophobic treatment device for performing hydrophobic treatment to improve the adhesion between the resist solution and the wafer W, and a peripheral exposure device for exposing the outer periphery of the wafer W. The number and arrangement of these heat treatment units, hydrophobic treatment device, peripheral exposure device, etc., provided in the second block 232 can be selected as appropriate.

[0014] A wafer transport device 236 having a transport arm is positioned in the wafer transport area 235. The wafer transport device 236 moves within the wafer transport area 235 and transports the wafer W between the first block 231 and the second block 232. The wafer transport device 236 also transports the wafer W between the cassette station 202, other adjacent processing stations 203 and the interface station 204 by transferring the wafer W with the wafer transfer devices 224, 233 and 243.

[0015] Interface station 204 is equipped with wafer transport devices 241 and 242 and a wafer W transfer device 243. Interface station 204 transports wafer W between the transfer device 243, where wafer W is transferred by the wafer transport device 236 of processing station 203, and an exposure machine (not shown), using wafer transport devices 241 and 242.

[0016] For example, in the substrate processing apparatus 3, first a cassette C containing wafers W is brought into the cassette station 202 and placed on the cassette mounting table 221. Next, the substrate processing apparatus 3 uses wafer transport devices 222 and 223 to remove wafers W from cassette C and transport them to the transfer device 224. The substrate processing apparatus 3 then uses a wafer transport device 236 to transport the wafers W transported to the transfer device 224 to a hydrophobic treatment apparatus located in the second block 232, where a hydrophobic treatment is performed. The substrate processing apparatus 3 then uses the wafer transport device 236 to transport wafers W to a resist film forming apparatus, where a resist film is formed on the wafers W.

[0017] After film formation is complete, the substrate processing apparatus 3 transports the wafer W to the heat treatment unit for pre-baking, and then transports the wafer W to the transfer device 243. If the substrate processing apparatus 3 has multiple processing stations 203, the wafer W is transported via transfer devices 233 located between the multiple processing stations 203, and finally transported to the transfer device 243 of the interface station 204.

[0018] Next, the substrate processing apparatus 3 transports the wafer W, which has been delivered to the transfer device 243 of the interface station 204, to the exposure apparatus using wafer transfer devices 241 and 242, and performs exposure processing in a predetermined pattern. The substrate processing apparatus 3 then transports the exposed wafer W back to the transfer device 243 using wafer transfer devices 241 and 242.

[0019] Next, the substrate processing apparatus 3 transports the wafer W, which has been transferred to the transfer device 243, to the heat treatment unit via the wafer transfer device 236 for post-exposure heat treatment. The substrate processing apparatus 3 then transports the post-exposure heat-treated wafer W to the developing apparatus via the wafer transfer device 236 for development. After development is complete, the substrate processing apparatus 3 transports the wafer W to the heat treatment unit via the wafer transfer device 236 for post-bake treatment.

[0020] Subsequently, the substrate processing device 3 transports the wafer W to the transfer device 224 using the wafer transport device 236, and then transports it to the cassette C on the predetermined cassette mounting table 221 using the wafer transport devices 222 and 223 of the cassette station 202. In this way, the series of photolithography processes is completed.

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the overview of the information processing system according to this embodiment. In the information processing system according to this embodiment, a wafer-type measuring device 5 is used to measure the state and characteristics of the substrate processing device 3 described above. The wafer-type measuring device 5 has a shape that mimics a semiconductor wafer that is the target of substrate processing such as etching by the substrate processing device 3, that is, it is roughly disc-shaped. The wafer-type measuring device 5 is equipped with various sensors, such as a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a camera. The wafer-type measuring device 5 is housed in a cassette C and placed on the cassette mounting table 221 of the cassette station 202 of the substrate processing device 3. It is removed from the cassette C and transported within the substrate processing device 3 by wafer transport devices 222, 223, transfer device 224, wafer transport device 236, transfer device 243, and wafer transport devices 241, 242, etc. The transported wafer-type measuring device 5 undergoes various substrate processing such as hydrophobic treatment, resist film formation treatment, heat treatment, and exposure treatment at multiple processing stations 203 provided by the substrate processing device 3, and is returned to cassette C after the series of processes are completed. During these processing steps, the wafer-type measuring device 5 performs measurements using one or more sensors it is equipped with and transmits the measurement results wirelessly.

[0022] The substrate processing apparatus 3 according to this embodiment is composed of a combination of multiple modules 200, such as a cassette station 202, a processing station 203, and an interface station 204 (Note that in Figure 2, only one module 200 is shown for simplification). The substrate processing apparatus 3 includes a controller (information processing apparatus) 1 that controls the operation of these multiple modules 200, and a user interface 100 for exchanging information with the user. The controller 1 controls the operation of the multiple modules 200 according to a substrate processing program created in advance by the user, and performs the desired processing on the target substrate.

[0023] Furthermore, the controller 1 has a wireless communication function and can transmit and receive data wirelessly with the wafer-type measuring device 5. The controller 1 receives the measurement result data from the sensors transmitted from the wafer-type measuring device 5 and stores it in a database or the like. The controller 1 displays the measurement result data from the wafer-type measuring device 5 stored in the database in response to a request from the user via the user interface 100.

[0024] In this embodiment, an add-on sensor 7 can be retrofitted to the module 200 of the substrate processing apparatus 3 by the user. The add-on sensor 7 may be various sensors, such as a temperature sensor or a camera. The add-on sensor 7 transmits and receives data to and from the controller 1 via wired or wireless communication. The controller 1 receives the measurement result data transmitted from the add-on sensor 7 and stores it in a database.

[0025] The wafer-type measuring device 5 according to this embodiment allows for the modification of various settings for the mounted sensors, such as the sampling period, upper limit of measurement, lower limit of measurement, and whether or not to perform measurement. The wafer-type measuring device 5 receives a request for setting changes from the controller 1 via wireless communication, modifies the settings of each sensor, and performs measurements using each sensor with the requested settings. The sensor settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5 that the controller 1 can modify are not limited to the sampling period, etc., but may include various settings such as turning the sensor on / off, or the timing of the start / end of measurement.

[0026] The controller 1 according to this embodiment determines whether a predetermined trigger condition for the substrate processing apparatus 3 has been met, and if the trigger condition is met, it wirelessly transmits a message to the wafer-type measuring device 5 requesting a change in the sensor settings. For example, the controller 1 can change the sensor settings when any of the following trigger conditions (1) to (4) are met. The trigger conditions that the controller 1 determines are not limited to those listed below, but various other conditions may be used. (1) When a change in the state of the module 200 of the substrate processing apparatus 3 is detected (2) When the timing has been reached in which the substrate processing program that causes the substrate processing apparatus 3 to perform substrate processing has been incorporated (3) When the measurement result of the add-on sensor 7 satisfies a predetermined condition (4) When the user performs a setting change operation

[0027] Regarding the trigger condition (1) described above, the controller 1 monitors the state of each module 200 based on measurements obtained from various sensors, such as pressure sensors or temperature sensors, provided by the substrate processing apparatus 3. The controller 1 determines the state of each module 200 by, for example, determining whether the measurements from these sensors exceed a predetermined threshold, and when a predetermined state change occurs, requests the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change the sensor settings according to the changed state. As the sensor measurements used to determine the state change of the module 200 as the trigger condition (1), for example, measurements of pressure, temperature, or RF (Radio Frequency) power inside the chamber of the substrate processing apparatus 3 may be used.

[0028] Regarding the trigger condition (2) described above, the controller 1 can perform desired board processing on the target board by executing a board processing program created in advance by the user, thereby causing each module 200 to operate according to the conditions set in the board processing program. In this embodiment, the board processing program defines the procedures, order, and conditions of various processes to be carried out by the board processing apparatus 3, and may be called, for example, a process recipe or maintenance macro. The board processing program specifies information on various events to be performed in board processing, such as recipe start, recipe end, recipe step change, process chamber mode change, hardware operation and status (e.g., pin position), module in / out, and specific operations within the maintenance macro, and specifies the timing of the start or end of each of these events. The maintenance macro is a function that allows various evaluations and tests to be performed by registering a macro that combines any single operation, sequence operation, and initialization operation in advance in the device and executing that macro. It is used during device development or maintenance, such as when performing durability tests or module operation evaluations. Controller 1 performs the desired substrate processing on the substrate according to the substrate processing program, and when a specific timing included in the substrate processing program is reached or a specific condition is met, it requests the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change the sensor settings according to that timing or condition. Specific conditions may include, for example, the timing when the measurement value from the sensor in trigger condition (1) above reaches a predetermined value, the timing when the sensor detects module in / out, or when the measurement value from the add-on sensor 7 in trigger condition (3) below meets a predetermined condition. Controller 1 can change the settings not only at a preset fixed value timing, but also at a variable value timing when a specific condition is met. In other words, Controller 1 performs substrate processing according to the substrate processing program, and when a predetermined event specified in the substrate processing program occurs during this substrate processing, it requests the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change the sensor settings according to that event.

[0029] Regarding the trigger condition (3) described above, the controller 1 determines, for example, whether or not a predetermined threshold is exceeded, based on the measurement value obtained from the add-on sensor 7 attached to an appropriate location on the module 200 of the substrate processing device 3. If the controller 1 determines that the measurement value from the add-on sensor 7 exceeds the predetermined threshold, the controller 1 requests the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change the sensor settings according to the measurement value or threshold, etc. The trigger condition (3) is determined in the same way as the trigger condition (1) described above. The difference is that the sensor provided by the substrate processing device 3 is used for trigger condition (1), while the add-on sensor 7 attached to the substrate processing device 3 afterwards is used for trigger condition (3). Whether or not to perform measurement using the add-on sensor 7 can be appropriately selected by the user, and the add-on sensor 7 does not have to be attached to the substrate processing device 3. In this case, the controller 1 does not need to determine whether or not the trigger condition (3) described above is met.

[0030] Regarding the trigger condition (4) described above, the controller 1 accepts various operations from the user via the user interface 100 while the substrate processing apparatus 3 is performing substrate processing. The controller 1 presents information to the user by displaying information obtained from sensors provided by the substrate processing apparatus 3, sensors mounted on the wafer-type measuring device 5, and add-on sensors 7 attached to the module 200. Based on this information, the user determines whether or not it is necessary to change the settings of the sensors on the wafer-type measuring device 5. If it is determined that a setting change is necessary, the user inputs the setting values ​​via the user interface 100 and performs the operation to change the settings. When the controller 1 receives a setting change operation via the user interface 100, it requests the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change the settings to the settings entered by the user.

[0031] Controller 1 may not only use the trigger conditions (1) to (4) above individually, but may also change settings by combining multiple trigger conditions (1) to (4) as appropriate.

[0032] In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 3 comprises a plurality of modules 200, such as a cassette station 202, a processing station 203, and an interface station 204. The substrate to be processed is transported sequentially through these modules 200, and processing is carried out sequentially in each module 200. The controller 1 can, for example, when processing is completed in the first module 200 and the substrate to be processed is transported to the second module 200 to start the next processing, use the completion of processing in the first module 200 as a trigger to change the settings of the wafer-type measuring apparatus 5 to a setting suitable for measurement related to processing in the second module 200. This is an example of a setting change based on the trigger condition (2) described above.

[0033] Furthermore, the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing apparatus 3 is carried out based on substrate processing setting information, or so-called recipes, in which the user has set various conditions such as temperature and pressure in advance. For example, when substrate processing is performed using the first recipe, followed by substrate processing using the second recipe, and measurements are taken using the wafer-type measuring apparatus 5 for both recipes, the controller 1 can use the completion of the substrate processing using the first recipe as a trigger to change the settings of the wafer-type measuring apparatus 5 to be suitable for the substrate processing using the second recipe. In this case, the controller 1 can determine the completion of the substrate processing using the first recipe based on the trigger condition (2) or the like.

[0034] <Device Configuration> Figure 3 is a block diagram showing one example configuration of the controller 1 according to this embodiment. The controller 1 according to this embodiment is an information processing device that controls the substrate processing device 3. In this embodiment, the controller 1 is provided integrally with the substrate processing device 3, but the substrate processing device 3 and the controller 1 may be configured as separate units. The controller 1 according to this embodiment is configured to include a processing unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, a display unit 14, and an operation unit 15, etc.

[0035] The processing unit 11 is composed of a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit), or quantum processor, and a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The processing unit 11 reads and executes a program 12a stored in the storage unit 12, and performs various processes such as controlling the operation of multiple modules 200 provided by the substrate processing device 3, acquiring and storing the measurement results of the wafer-type measuring device 5, and changing the sensor settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5.

[0036] The functions realized by the processing unit 11 can be implemented using any circuit or processing circuitry. For example, the circuit or processing circuitry can be implemented using a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, an integrated circuit, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a conventional circuit. The functions realized by the processing unit 11 can be programmed using one or more programs stored in one or more memories, or configured in other ways to execute the disclosed functions. The functions of the processing unit 11 can be implemented using circuit or processing circuitry including combinations of these.

[0037] The storage unit 12 is configured using a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 12 stores various programs executed by the processing unit 11, and various data necessary for the processing of the processing unit 11. In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 stores the program 12a executed by the processing unit 11. The storage unit 12 also stores a substrate processing program 12b, which specifies the procedures and conditions for substrate processing performed by the substrate processing device 3 as defined by the user, and a sensor setting table 12c used to change the settings of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5. The storage unit 12 also stores data such as measurement results from the sensors of the substrate processing device 3, measurement results from the wafer-type measuring device 5, and measurement results from the add-on sensor 7.

[0038] In this embodiment, the program (computer program, program product) 12a is provided in a form recorded on a recording medium 99 such as a memory card or optical disc, and the controller 1 reads the program 12a from the recording medium 99 and stores it in the storage unit 12. However, the program 12a may also be written to the storage unit 12 during the manufacturing stage of the controller 1, for example. Alternatively, the program 12a may be distributed by a remote server device or the like and acquired by the controller 1 via communication. For example, the program 12a may be read from the recording medium 99 by a writing device and written to the storage unit 12 of the controller 1. The program 12a may be provided by distribution via a network, or it may be provided in a form recorded on the recording medium 99.

[0039] In this embodiment, program 12a is a basic program that controls the operation of controller 1, and is a program created by, for example, the manufacturer of the substrate processing apparatus 3. In contrast, substrate processing program 12b is a program that defines the procedures and conditions for substrate processing performed by the substrate processing apparatus 3, and is a program created by a user of the substrate processing apparatus 3. The user may, for example, create the substrate processing program 12b on the substrate processing apparatus 3, or, for example, create the substrate processing program 12b on an information processing apparatus different from the substrate processing apparatus 3, and store the created substrate processing program 12b in the storage unit 12 of the controller 1 of the substrate processing apparatus 3 via communication or a recording medium.

[0040] The sensor setting table 12c is used to determine how to change the sensor settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5 when the above trigger conditions are met. For example, the sensor setting table 12c stores the timing defined in the substrate processing program 12b and the sensor setting value of the wafer-type measuring device 5 in association with the trigger condition (2). When the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing device 3 reaches a predetermined timing defined in the substrate processing program 12b, the controller 1 can refer to the sensor setting table 12c in the storage unit 12 to obtain the sensor setting value associated with the type of timing included in the substrate processing program 12b, and request the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change to the obtained setting value.

[0041] The communication unit 13 performs wired or wireless communication with other devices. In this embodiment, the communication unit 13 performs wireless communication with the wafer-type measuring device 5, receives measurement data from the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5 and provides it to the processing unit 11, and also transmits messages such as requests for setting changes from the processing unit 11 to the wafer-type measuring device 5. In this embodiment, the communication unit 13 also performs wired or wireless communication with the add-on sensor 7, receives measurement data from the add-on sensor 7 and provides it to the processing unit 11. In this figure, the controller 1 is shown to have one communication unit 13, but for example, if wireless communication is performed with the wafer-type measuring device 5 and wired communication is performed with the add-on sensor 7, the controller 1 may have separate communication units 13 for wireless communication and wired communication.

[0042] The display unit 14 is configured using a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays various images and characters based on the processing of the processing unit 11. In this embodiment, the display unit 14 displays, for example, information regarding the progress of substrate processing by the substrate processing apparatus 3, displays measured values ​​from the sensors of the wafer-type measuring apparatus 5, and displays the sensor setting screen of the wafer-type measuring apparatus 5. The operation unit 15 receives user operations and notifies the processing unit 11 of the received operations. For example, the operation unit 15 receives user operations via mechanical buttons or input devices such as touch panels provided on the surface of the display unit 14. Alternatively, the operation unit 15 may be an input device such as a mouse and keyboard, and these input devices may be configured to be detachable from the controller 1. The display unit 14 and operation unit 15 shown in Figure 3 constitute the user interface 100 shown in Figure 2.

[0043] Note that the storage unit 12 may be an external storage device connected to the controller 1. The controller 1 may be a multi-computer configured including a plurality of computers, or may be a virtual machine virtually constructed by software. Furthermore, the controller 1 is not limited to the above configuration, and does not need to include, for example, the display unit 14 and the operation unit 15. When the display unit 14 and the operation unit 15 are not provided, the controller 1 may display information, accept user operations, and the like by using the display unit and operation unit of an external terminal device used by a user, for example.

[0044] Furthermore, in the controller 1 according to the present embodiment, when the processing unit 11 reads and executes the program 12a stored in the storage unit 12, the control processing unit 11a, the measurement processing unit 11b, the trigger determination unit 11c, the setting change unit 11d, the setting operation accepting unit 11e, and the like are implemented in the processing unit 11 as software-based functional units. In this drawing, among the functional units of the processing unit 11, functional units related to control processing of the substrate processing apparatus 3 and measurement processing using the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5 are illustrated, and illustration of functional units related to other processing is omitted.

[0045] The control processing unit 11a reads and executes the substrate processing program 12b stored in the storage unit 12, thereby controlling the operations of the plurality of modules 200 included in the substrate processing apparatus 3 to perform desired substrate processing on a substrate to be processed. The substrate processing program 12b is created in advance by a user and stored in the storage unit 12, and describes substrate processing conditions, procedures, and the like. When the control processing unit 11a operates each module 200 in accordance with the conditions, procedures, and the like defined in the substrate processing program 12b, the wafers W stored in the cassette C are appropriately conveyed by a conveying device, and substrate processing such as resist film formation processing and heating processing is performed at the plurality of processing stations 203.

[0046] The measurement processing unit 11b performs measurement processing of the substrate processing apparatus 3 using the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5. The measurement processing unit 11b performs wireless communication with the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5 via the communication unit 13, and controls the start and end of measurement by the sensors of the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5 at appropriate timing. The wafer-type measurement apparatus 5 that has started measurement transmits measurement value data obtained by one or more sensors to the controller 1 at a predetermined cycle. The measurement processing unit 11b receives the measurement value data transmitted from the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5 via the communication unit 13, and stores the received measurement value data in the storage unit 12. At this time, the measurement processing unit 11b may store information such as the measurement date and time, the identification information of the measured substrate processing apparatus 3, and the substrate processing conditions implemented during the measurement, in association with the measurement value data.

[0047] The trigger determination unit 11c determines whether a trigger condition for changing the sensor settings of the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5 is satisfied in the substrate processing apparatus 3 during the measurement processing performed by the wafer-type measurement apparatus 5. For example, in the present embodiment, the controller 1 acquires measurement values from various sensors provided in the substrate processing apparatus 3, and monitors the state of each module 200 based on the acquired measurement values. The trigger determination unit 11c determines whether the state of each module 200 determined based on the sensor measurement values has changed to a state predetermined as a target for sensor setting change, thereby determining whether the above-described trigger condition (1) is satisfied.

[0048] Further, for example, in the present embodiment, the substrate processing program 12b executed by the controller 1 defines the execution order, procedures, conditions, and the like for various processes implemented by the substrate processing apparatus 3. The control processing unit 11a sequentially executes processes defined in the substrate processing program 12b. The trigger determination unit 11c determines whether a timing predetermined as a trigger condition among a plurality of timings included in the substrate processing program 12b has been reached, for example, the timing at which a first process defined in the substrate processing program 12b ends and a second process starts, thereby determining whether the above-described trigger condition (2) is satisfied.

[0049] For example, if an add-on sensor 7 is attached to the module 200 of the substrate processing apparatus 3 according to this embodiment, the controller 1 acquires the measurement value output by the add-on sensor 7 and determines the state of the module 200 or whether there is an abnormality based on the acquired measurement value. The trigger determination unit 11c determines whether the above-mentioned trigger condition (3) has been met by determining whether the measurement value of the add-on sensor 7 exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0050] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the user can change the settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5 at any time by so-called manual operation, in addition to predetermined trigger conditions. For example, the controller 1 displays a screen on the display unit 14 that accepts setting changes, and the user accepts the setting change operation using the operation unit 15. The trigger determination unit 11c determines whether the trigger condition (4) described above has been met by determining whether or not the setting change operation has been performed while the setting change screen is being displayed.

[0051] The setting change unit 11d changes the sensor settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5 when the trigger determination unit 11c determines that any of the trigger conditions have been met. For example, when any of the above trigger conditions (1) to (3) are met, the setting change unit 11d refers to the sensor setting table 12c stored in the storage unit 12 to obtain the sensor setting value to be changed. The sensor setting table 12c stores, for example, the state of the module 200 and the sensor setting value in association with trigger condition (1), the timing included in the substrate processing program 12b and the sensor setting value in association with trigger condition (2), and the measured value of the add-on sensor 7 and the sensor setting value in association with trigger condition (3). The setting change unit 11d obtains the sensor setting value corresponding to the met trigger condition from the sensor setting table 12c and changes the sensor settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5 by sending the obtained setting value to the wafer-type measuring device 5 along with the setting change request.

[0052] For example, the setting change unit 11d acquires the setting value specified by the user when the trigger condition (4) described above is met. For example, regarding the trigger condition (4), the controller 1 displays the sensor setting screen of the wafer-type measuring device 5 on the display unit 14 to accept the user's input of a setting value, and the setting change unit 11d acquires the setting value entered by the user. The setting change unit 11d changes the sensor setting of the wafer-type measuring device 5 by transmitting the acquired setting value to the wafer-type measuring device 5 along with a setting change request.

[0053] The setting operation reception unit 11e displays a setting screen on the display unit 14 and accepts the user's operation to input the setting values ​​of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the setting screen for the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5. The setting screen in this figure is a setting screen that allows the user to change the setting at any time with respect to the trigger condition (4). This example assumes a configuration in which the wafer-type measuring device 5 is equipped with five pressure sensors. The text "Please enter the setting information for the pressure sensors." is displayed at the top of the setting screen, a table for inputting the setting values ​​of each pressure sensor is displayed in the center of the setting screen, and buttons labeled "Set" and "Cancel" are displayed at the bottom of the setting screen.

[0054] The central table on the settings screen has four fields: "Sensor Number," "Enabled," "Sampling Period," "Measurement Lower Limit," and "Measurement Upper Limit." For each of the five pressure sensors, numbered 1 through 5, the user can input four setting values. "Enabled" is the field for determining whether or not to perform measurements with each pressure sensor; the user can enable / disable it by checking or unchecking the checkbox. "Sampling Period" is the field for determining the period at which each pressure sensor measures pressure; the user can input a numerical value for the frequency. "Measurement Lower Limit" is the field for determining the lower limit of the pressure that each pressure sensor measures; the user can input a numerical value for the lower limit of the pressure in a text box or similar. Similarly, "Measurement Upper Limit" is the field for determining the upper limit of the pressure that each pressure sensor measures; the user can input a numerical value for the upper limit of the pressure.

[0055] When the "Settings" button is clicked with a mouse or touched (tapped) on the touch panel, the setting operation reception unit 11e acquires the setting values ​​for each sensor set in the table on the setting screen. When the setting operation reception unit 11e acquires the setting values, the setting change unit 11d transmits the acquired setting values ​​to the wafer-type measuring device 5 to change the settings. When the "Cancel" button is pressed, the setting operation reception unit 11e discards the input values ​​entered on the setting screen, terminates the display of the setting screen, and displays another screen, such as the menu screen.

[0056] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the sensor setting screen for the wafer-type measuring device 5. The setting screen in this figure is for the user to set how the sensor settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5 should be changed in relation to the trigger condition (2) at a predetermined timing specified in the substrate processing program 12b. This setting screen has, for example, an area on the left side of the screen for selecting "trigger information," and an area from the center to the right side of the screen for inputting "sensor setting information."

[0057] In the "Trigger Information" area, the types of triggers that may occur in the substrate processing device 3 are listed in chronological order of their possible timings, in the form of a flowchart. The setting operation reception unit 11e can acquire information on these multiple timings based on the contents of the substrate processing program 12b and display them in chronological order. The setting operation reception unit 11e accepts a selection operation from the user for one of the multiple triggers (timings) listed, and sets the selected trigger as the trigger to be set in the "Sensor Setting Information" area. In the illustrated example, the "Processing Step 1 Start" trigger is selected, and the setting operation reception unit 11e highlights the block for this trigger in the flowchart. The setting operation reception unit 11e also displays a line connecting this "Processing Step 1 Start" block and the "Sensor Setting Information" area to show the user the correspondence between "Trigger Information" and "Sensor Setting Information".

[0058] The "Sensor Settings Information" area displays a table similar to the settings screen shown in Figure 4. However, in this example, settings can be configured for multiple types of sensors, including temperature sensors, in addition to pressure sensors. By selecting a tab with the sensor name, such as "Pressure Sensor" or "Temperature Sensor," the user can switch to display a table corresponding to the selected sensor.

[0059] The setting operation reception unit 11e associates the trigger selected in the "trigger information" area with the setting value entered in the "sensor setting information" area and stores it in the sensor setting table 12c of the storage unit 12.

[0060] Although not shown in the diagram, trigger conditions (1) and (3) may also be set by the user using a setting screen similar to that in Figure 5. On the setting screen for trigger condition (1), instead of displaying a list of timings in the "Trigger Information" section of Figure 5, a list of the status of the substrate processing device 3 or module 200, or a list of sensors provided by the substrate processing device 3, can be displayed. Similarly, on the setting screen for trigger condition (3), instead of displaying a list of timings in the "Trigger Information" section of Figure 5, a list of the status of the substrate processing device 3 that the add-on sensor 7 can detect, or a list of names of the add-on sensor 7, can be displayed.

[0061] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a wafer-type measuring device 5 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the wafer-type measuring device 5 is configured with a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, a communication unit 53, a plurality of sensors 54, and a battery 55 mounted on the wafer-type main body. The control unit 51 controls the operation of each part of the wafer-type measuring device 5 and is configured using, for example, a CPU, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0062] The storage unit 12 is configured using memory elements such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), flash memory, or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). The storage unit 12 stores the program executed by the control unit 51 and the data necessary for its execution. In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 stores the measured values ​​measured by the multiple sensors 54. The storage unit 12 may also store programs such as firmware executed by the control unit 51.

[0063] The communication unit 53 transmits and receives data with other devices via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the communication unit 53 communicates wirelessly with the controller 1 of the substrate processing apparatus 3. For example, the communication unit 53 receives a request for a setting change transmitted from the controller 1 and provides it to the control unit 51. The communication unit 53 also transmits, for example, sensor measurement values ​​provided by the control unit 51 to the controller 1.

[0064] The sensor 54 may be various types of sensors, such as a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a camera. Multiple sensors 54 of multiple types may be mounted on the wafer-type measuring device 5. The sensor 54 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to, for example, pressure or temperature, and the control unit 51 can obtain measured values ​​of pressure or temperature by sampling this electrical signal at a predetermined period (acquiring an analog signal and converting it into digital data). Alternatively, the sensor 54 may output digital data of the measured value at a predetermined period, and the period at which the measured value is output may be changed by the control unit 51.

[0065] The battery 55 supplies pre-stored power to each part of the wafer-type measuring device 5. This allows the wafer-type measuring device 5 to perform measurements without an external power supply. However, the wafer-type measuring device 5 may be configured to receive power from an external source, for example, by contactless power supply, or it may operate by receiving power from a substrate processing device 3 or the like via a power supply line.

[0066] In this embodiment, the control unit 51 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 acquires measurement data by sampling the output signals of each sensor 54 at a predetermined period, temporarily stores the acquired measurement data in the storage unit 52, and at an appropriate timing reads the measurement data of the sensor 54 stored in the storage unit 52 and provides it to the communication unit 53, thereby transmitting the measurement data to the controller 1. However, the control unit 51 may transmit the measurement data of the sensor 54 directly to the controller 1 without storing it in the storage unit 52. The control unit 51 may also calculate statistical values ​​such as the average, median, maximum, or minimum value of the multiple measurement values ​​stored in the storage unit 52 and transmit them to the controller 1.

[0067] Furthermore, when the control unit 51 receives a request from the controller 1 to change the settings related to the measurement of the sensor 54, it controls each part of the wafer-type measuring device 5 to reflect the received request. For example, in response to a request to change the sampling period, if the control unit 51 is configured to sample the output signal of the sensor 54, the control unit 51 changes the period in which it samples the output signal to the requested period. If the sensor 54 is configured to output the sampled data, the control unit 51 gives a command to the sensor 54 to change the sampling period.

[0068] The control unit 51 also stores the current settings for each sensor 54 in the storage unit 52. When the control unit 51 receives a request from the controller 1 to retrieve the current settings for each sensor 54, for example, it transmits the settings stored in the storage unit 52 to the controller 1. The control unit 51 may also read the settings stored in the storage unit 52 when the wafer-type measuring device 5 is started up, and use the read settings as the initial settings to perform measurements using the sensors 54.

[0069] For example, prior to displaying the settings screen, the controller 1 communicates with the wafer-type measuring device 5 via the communication unit 13 and requests the acquisition of the settings. The controller 1 receives the settings transmitted from the wafer-type measuring device 5 in response to this request and can display the current settings on the settings screen. Also, for example, if the user performs an operation that requests the display of the settings of the wafer-type measuring device 5, such as selecting a menu item, the controller 1 requests the wafer-type measuring device 5 to acquire the settings. The controller 1 receives the settings transmitted from the wafer-type measuring device 5 in response to this request and can display the received settings on the display unit 14.

[0070] <Setting Change Processing> Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure performed by the controller 1 according to this embodiment. The processing unit 11 of the controller 1 according to this embodiment sends a setting acquisition request to the wafer-type measuring device 5 via the communication unit 53 in order to acquire the current settings of each sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 (step S1). The processing unit 11 acquires the setting information by receiving the setting information transmitted by the wafer-type measuring device 5 via the communication unit 13 in response to the setting acquisition request in step S1 (step S2). The processing unit 11 displays the setting information received from the wafer-type measuring device 5 in step S2 on the display unit 14 (step S3) to present the settings of each sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 to the user.

[0071] Next, the measurement processing unit 11b of the processing unit 11 transmits a measurement start command to the wafer-type measuring device 5 at an appropriate timing, such as when the user performs a measurement start operation or when a preset measurement start condition is met (step S4). In response to this command, the wafer-type measuring device 5 starts measurement and transmits various measurement values ​​from the multiple sensors 54 to the controller 1. The measurement processing unit 11b receives the measurement values ​​transmitted by the wafer-type measuring device 5 with the communication unit 13 and acquires the measurement values ​​from the multiple sensors 54 (step S5). The measurement processing unit 11b stores the measurement values ​​from the sensors 54 acquired from the wafer-type measuring device 5 in step S5 in the storage unit 12, along with information such as the date and time the measurement values ​​were acquired (step S6).

[0072] Next, the trigger determination unit 11c of the processing unit 11 acquires information to determine whether or not a trigger has occurred to change the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 (step S7). The information acquired in step S7 may include, for example, status information of the module 200 obtained by monitoring the status of the substrate processing device 3, information on the instructions being executed in the substrate processing program 12b being executed by the controller 1, measured values ​​of the add-on sensor 7, and information on whether or not an operation related to setting changes has been performed by the user.

[0073] The trigger determination unit 11c determines, based on the information acquired in step S7, whether a trigger has occurred to change the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 (i.e., whether the trigger condition has been met) (step S8). For example, the trigger determination unit 11c can determine that the trigger condition has been met if it determines from information obtained from the sensors of the substrate processing device 3 that the state of the module 200 has changed to a predetermined state. For example, the trigger determination unit 11c can determine that the trigger condition has been met if the timing for changing the settings has arrived among the various timings defined in the substrate processing program 12b executed by the controller 1. For example, the trigger determination unit 11c can determine that the trigger condition has been met if the measured value obtained from the add-on sensor 7 exceeds a predetermined threshold. Also, for example, the trigger determination unit 11c can determine that the trigger condition has been met if the user enters a setting value on the setting screen shown in Figure 4 and performs an operation on the "Settings" button.

[0074] If it is determined that a trigger has occurred (S8: YES), the setting change unit 11d of the processing unit 11 obtains the setting value of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 according to the trigger that occurred (step S9). For example, if a trigger occurs based on a change in the state of the module 200, a predetermined timing included in the substrate processing program 12b, or a measurement value of the add-on sensor 7, the setting change unit 11d can obtain the setting value by referring to the sensor setting table 12c of the storage unit 12. Alternatively, the setting change unit 11d can obtain the setting value entered on the setting screen shown in Figure 4. The setting change unit 11d sends the setting value obtained in step S9 to the wafer-type measuring device 5 along with a message requesting a setting change (step S10), and returns the process to step S5.

[0075] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S8 that no trigger has occurred (S8: NO), the measurement processing unit 11b determines whether it is time to terminate the measurement by the wafer-type measuring device 5, for example, when the substrate processing by the substrate processing device 3 has finished (step S11). If it is not time to terminate the measurement (S11: NO), the measurement processing unit 11b returns to step S5 and continues the measurement by the wafer-type measuring device 5. If it is time to terminate the measurement (S11: YES), the measurement processing unit 11b sends a measurement termination command to the wafer-type measuring device 5 (step S12) and terminates the process.

[0076] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure performed by the wafer-type measuring device 5 according to this embodiment. The control unit 51 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 according to this embodiment determines whether or not it has received a command to start measurement from the controller 1 via the communication unit 53 (step S21). If it has not received a command to start measurement (S21: NO), the control unit 51 determines whether or not it has received a request to acquire settings from the controller 1 via the communication unit 53 (step S22). If it has received a request to acquire settings (S22: YES), the control unit 51 reads the settings stored in the storage unit 52 (step S23), transmits the read settings to the controller 1 via the communication unit 53 (step S24), and returns to step S21. If it has not received a request to acquire settings (S22: NO), the control unit 51 returns to step S21.

[0077] When a command to start measurement is received (S21: YES), the control unit 51 acquires the measurement value from the sensor 54 mounted on the wafer-type measuring device 5 (step S25). The control unit 51 stores the measurement value from the sensor 54 acquired in step S25 in the storage unit 52 (step S26). The control unit 51 transmits the measurement value acquired in step S25 (or the measurement value stored in step S26) to the controller 1 via the communication unit 53 (step S27).

[0078] Next, the control unit 51 determines via the communication unit 53 whether or not it has received a request from the controller 1 to change the settings of the sensor 54 (step S28). If a request to change the settings is received (S28: YES), the control unit 51 changes the settings of the sensor 54 based on the setting value received along with the request to change the settings (step S29), and returns to step S25. If a request to change the settings is not received (S28: NO), the control unit 51 determines via the communication unit 53 whether or not it has received a command to end the measurement from the controller 1 (step S30). If a command to end the measurement is not received (S30: NO), the control unit 51 returns to step S25. If a command to end the measurement is received (S30: YES), the control unit 51 terminates the measurement by the sensor 54.

[0079] <Modification> (Modification 1) In the above embodiment, the controller 1 stores the sensor setting table 12c in the storage unit 12 and obtains the setting value of the sensor 54 from the sensor setting table 12c according to the type of trigger, etc., but it is not limited to this. In the information processing system according to Modification 1, the wafer-type measuring device 5 stores the sensor setting table 12c in the storage unit 52. When the controller 1 according to Modification 1 determines that a trigger condition has been met, for example, when the state of the substrate processing device 3 has changed to a predetermined state, it sends a request to change the setting to the wafer-type measuring device 5 along with information such as the type of state of the changed substrate processing device 3. Upon receiving this, the wafer-type measuring device 5 obtains the setting value of the sensor by referring to the sensor setting table 12c stored in the storage unit 52 based on the type of state etc. received along with the setting change request, and changes the setting of each sensor 54 to the obtained setting value.

[0080] (Modification 2) In the above-described embodiment, the controller 1 of the substrate processing apparatus 3 changes the settings by performing wireless communication with the wafer-type measuring device 5. However, the device that performs wireless communication with the wafer-type measuring device 5 is not limited to the controller 1. In the information processing system according to Modification 2, a general-purpose information processing device such as a PC (personal computer), smartphone, or tablet terminal device performs wireless communication with the wafer-type measuring device 5. The information processing device according to Modification 2 is provided as a separate device from the substrate processing apparatus 3 and does not perform processing such as control of substrate processing.

[0081] The information processing device according to Modification 2 displays, for example, the setting screen shown in Figure 4 to receive input of sensor setting values ​​from the user, and sends a request for setting change to the wafer-type measuring device 5 when the "Settings" button is pressed. The information processing device according to Modification 2 performs setting changes based on the trigger condition (4) described above, and does not perform setting changes based on trigger conditions (1) to (3). However, the information processing device according to Modification 2 may perform setting changes based on trigger conditions (1) to (3) by, for example, communicating with the substrate processing device 3 to obtain the status of the substrate processing device 3 and the timing of the substrate processing program 12b.

[0082] (Modification 3) In the above-described embodiment, a wafer-type measuring device is used to measure the substrate processing apparatus 3, but the measuring device is not limited to a wafer type and may take any shape. The measuring device according to this embodiment is a device that includes a communication unit that performs wireless communication with an information processing device such as a controller 1, and one or more sensors that perform measurements. Furthermore, the measuring device according to this embodiment is not incorporated into the substrate processing apparatus 3, but is temporarily installed on the substrate processing apparatus 3. Furthermore, the measuring device according to this embodiment may perform measurements from either inside or outside the substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0083] <Summary> In the information processing system according to this embodiment with the above configuration, the controller 1 includes a communication unit 13 that communicates with a wafer-type measuring device 5 equipped with one or more sensors 54. The controller 1 determines whether or not a trigger has occurred with respect to the substrate processing device 3 to be measured by the wafer-type measuring device 5, and if a trigger has occurred, it changes the settings of the sensors 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 to settings corresponding to the trigger that occurred via communication by the communication unit 13. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to support the changing of settings of the sensors 54 for a wafer-type measuring device 5 equipped with one or more sensors 54.

[0084] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 stores setting information (setting values) for the sensor 54 according to the type of trigger in the storage unit 12 as a sensor setting table 12c. The controller 1 reads the setting information corresponding to the trigger that has occurred from the sensor setting table 12c in the storage unit 12, and transmits the read setting information to the wafer-type measuring device 5 via the communication unit 13, thereby changing the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to be able to make appropriate setting changes to the wafer-type measuring device 5 according to the type of trigger by registering the sensor setting information in the sensor setting table 12c in advance.

[0085] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the wafer-type measuring device 5 may store setting information for the sensor 54 according to the type of trigger in the storage unit 52 as a sensor setting table 12c. The controller 1 transmits trigger information indicating the type of trigger that occurred to the wafer-type measuring device 5 via the communication unit 13. The wafer-type measuring device 5 reads the setting information from the sensor setting table 12c in the storage unit 52 according to the trigger information received from the controller 1 and changes the settings of the sensor 54. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment can be expected to make appropriate setting changes to the wafer-type measuring device 5 according to the type of trigger by pre-registering the sensor setting information in the sensor setting table 12c in the storage unit 52 of the wafer-type measuring device 5.

[0086] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 determines whether or not an event has occurred in the substrate processing device 3 as the presence or absence of a trigger. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to change the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 in response to various events occurring in the substrate processing device 3.

[0087] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 determines the state of the module 200 of the substrate processing device 3 and determines whether or not there is a change in the determined state as the presence or absence of a trigger. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to change the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 in response to changes in the state of the substrate processing device 3.

[0088] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 stores a substrate processing program 12b that controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 3 in the storage unit 12. The controller 1 determines whether or not a timing defined in the substrate processing program 12b has been reached, for example, whether or not the timing for executing a setting change command included in the substrate processing program 12b has been reached, as a trigger. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to change the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring apparatus 5 at an appropriate timing based on commands included in the substrate processing program 12b by the user.

[0089] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 acquires measurement results from the add-on sensor 7 attached to the module 200 of the substrate processing device 3, and determines whether or not a trigger is present according to the acquired measurement results. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to be able to measure characteristics that cannot be measured by the sensors provided by the substrate processing device 3 using the add-on sensor 7 and change the settings of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5.

[0090] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 3 includes a plurality of modules 200 that sequentially perform processing on the substrate. The controller 1 determines when processing in the first module 200 is completed, and when processing in the first module 200 is completed, it changes the settings of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 to settings corresponding to the processing in the second module 200. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to perform measurements by the wafer-type measuring device 5 with settings suitable for each module 200 of the substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0091] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the substrate processing device 3 sequentially performs processing according to multiple recipes. The controller 1 determines when the substrate processing according to the first recipe is completed, and when the substrate processing according to the first recipe is completed, it changes the setting of the sensor 54 of the wafer-type measuring device 5 to a setting according to the second recipe. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to perform measurement by the wafer-type measuring device 5 with settings suitable for the recipe related to substrate processing.

[0092] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 receives setting operations from the user via the user interface 100 and changes the settings of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5 according to the received settings. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to change the settings of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5 at an appropriate timing based on user operations.

[0093] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the controller 1 displays a setting screen on the display unit 14 for the user to perform operations related to the settings of the sensor 54. The setting screen includes, for example, checkboxes that accept the selection of enable or disable for each sensor 54 in order to set which of the multiple sensors 54 provided by the wafer-type measuring device 5 will be operated. The setting screen also includes text boxes for inputting setting values ​​for the sampling period or measurement range of each sensor 54. With these features, the information processing system according to this embodiment can obtain the setting values ​​of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5 by having the user input them, and it is expected that the settings of the sensors of the wafer-type measuring device 5 can be changed according to the appropriate setting values ​​entered by the user.

[0094] Furthermore, in the information processing system according to this embodiment, the measuring device that performs measurements related to the substrate processing apparatus 3 is wafer-shaped. As a result, the information processing system according to this embodiment is expected to accurately measure the environment surrounding the wafer during substrate processing by feeding the wafer-shaped measuring device into the substrate processing apparatus 3.

[0095] In this embodiment, the substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus 3 has been described as a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer, but it is not limited to this, and the substrate may be various types of substrates, such as a rectangular flat panel substrate or a glass substrate. The substrate processing apparatus 3 may be a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or a flat panel manufacturing apparatus, and may be any apparatus that processes the substrate to be measured. In this embodiment, the first block 231 of the substrate processing apparatus 3 is provided with a patterning film forming apparatus or a developing apparatus, but it is not limited to this, and other apparatuses that perform substrate processing (such as an etching apparatus) may be provided. Similarly, the second block 232 is provided with a heat treatment unit, a hydrophobic treatment apparatus and a peripheral exposure apparatus, but it is not limited to this, and other apparatuses that perform substrate processing may be provided.

[0096] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims, not in the sense described above, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended.

[0097] The matters described in each embodiment can be combined with each other. Furthermore, the independent and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any combination, regardless of the form of reference. In addition, the claims use a form in which claims referencing two or more other claims (multi-claim form), but are not limited to this. A form in which multi-claims referencing at least one multi-claim (multi-multi-claim) may also be used.

[0098] 1 Controller (information processing device, computer) 3 Substrate processing device 5 Wafer type measuring device (measuring device) 7 Add-on sensor 11 Processing unit 11a Control processing unit 11b Measurement processing unit 11c Trigger determination unit 11d Setting change unit 11e Setting operation reception unit 12 Storage unit 12a Program (computer program) 12b Substrate processing program 12c Sensor setting table 13 Communication unit 14 Display unit 15 Operation unit 51 Control unit 52 Storage unit 53 Communication unit 54 Sensor 55 Battery 99 Recording medium 100 User interface 200 Module 202 Cassette station 203 Processing station 204 Interface station 221 Cassette mounting stand 222, 223 Wafer transport device 224 Transfer device 231 First block 232 Second block 233 Transfer device 235 Wafer transport area 236 Wafer transport device 241-243 Wafer transport device W Wafer (substrate) C Cassette

Claims

1. An information processing method comprising an information processing device equipped with a communication unit that communicates with a measuring device having one or more sensors, the device determines whether or not a trigger has occurred with respect to a substrate processing device to be measured by the measuring device, and, if the trigger has occurred, changes the sensor settings of the measuring device to settings corresponding to the trigger via communication by the communication unit.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device stores sensor setting information corresponding to the type of trigger in a storage unit, reads the setting information corresponding to the trigger from the storage unit when the trigger occurs, and transmits the read setting information to the measuring device via the communication unit to change the sensor setting of the measuring device.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device stores sensor setting information corresponding to the type of trigger in a storage unit, the information processing device transmits trigger information indicating the type of trigger to the measuring device via the communication unit when the trigger occurs, and the measuring device changes the sensor settings according to the trigger information received from the information processing device.

4. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information processing device determines the state of the substrate processing device and determines whether or not there is a change in the determined state as the presence or absence of the trigger.

5. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information processing device stores a substrate processing program that controls the operation of the substrate processing device in a storage unit, and determines whether or not the timing specified in the substrate processing program has been reached as the presence or absence of the trigger.

6. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information processing device acquires measurement results from a sensor attached to the substrate processing device, and determines whether or not the trigger is present according to the acquired measurement results.

7. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information processing device receives a setting operation from a user and changes the sensor settings of the measuring device to settings corresponding to the received operation.

8. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the information processing device displays a setting screen on a display unit that accepts a setting for which of the plurality of sensors provided by the measuring device to operate, and setting information for the sensor to be operated.

9. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the information processing device communicates with the measuring device via the communication unit to obtain sensor setting information, and displays the obtained setting information on the display unit.

10. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information processing device displays a setting screen on a display unit that accepts a setting for which of the plurality of sensors provided by the measuring device to be operated in accordance with the type of trigger, and setting information for the sensor to be operated.

11. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the measuring device is in the shape of a substrate.

12. A computer program that causes a computer equipped with a communication unit to communicate with a measuring device having one or more sensors to determine whether or not a trigger has occurred with respect to the substrate processing device being measured by the measuring device, and, if such a trigger has occurred, to execute a process to change the sensor settings of the measuring device to settings corresponding to the trigger via communication by the communication unit.

13. An information processing device comprising a communication unit for communicating with a measuring device equipped with one or more sensors, and a processing unit for performing processing related to the control of the measuring device, wherein the processing unit determines whether or not a trigger has occurred with respect to the substrate processing device to be measured by the measuring device, and if the trigger has occurred, changes the sensor settings of the measuring device to settings corresponding to the trigger via communication by the communication unit.

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